I have seen postings where people said they dropped their carry-on in their cabin upon boarding before the cabins are "officially ready at 1:30" and on my first cruise, my son and I wheeled our carry-ons around the ship until 1:30. I would be worried about thing being stolen, since the cabin doors are open as they are still cleaning them.

So, how many of you are ok with dropping off your carry-ons as opposed to keeping them with you until the cabins are done being cleaned and the cabin doors remain closed/locked? After all, medications, electronics and other essentials are in the carry-on. In my case, everything is! I only travel with 1 carry on and 1 large totebag, no other suitcase.

I'm travelling with my mom next (in March) and feel that we'll just sit out on the Lido deck with our carry-ons, waiting for the cabins to be ready.

I would agree, just keep them with you until 1:00 or so and then drop them in the cabin, close and lock the door. In the past I actually tried to just get to my cabin and drop off, but they wouldn't let me down those halls until they were finished. Especially with important meds, I wouldn't chance just leaving items like that there.

They are becoming more "diligent" in not allowing folks access to the cabins. A few years ago I never had a problem dropping my stuff off at the cabin. Actually, the cabins were usually open and ready by noon.

Now they have the fire doors shut and usually have someone stationed at the stairwells to block people from going to the cabins.

On my Pride cruise in April I tried to smooth talk the guy stationed at the doors but he was as diligent as a guard blocking access to a bank vault.

Now that cabins are not ready until sometime between 1:00 and 2:00 I will be boarding later. I hate wheeling a carry-on around the ship.

One nice thing about having a suite on NCL is that they store your carry-on for you. Carnival has no such perk, unless I missed it, for suite or any other passengers.

Take care,
Mike

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We always drop off our carryons in our rooms. Throw them in the closet. Had a little problem with Spirit class they lock the doors but we got in. That should be a Platinum perk. We do show our platinum cards if someone asks. Its like a game. Sometimes you win sometimes you lose.

Michelle,
Just a thought here. The buffet is usuallly more crowded the day you leave than any other time on the cruise. So, one of you grab a table and watch your stuff while the other one hits the food lines, then swap. Otherwise, trying to maneuver with a tray of food on one hand and carry on luggage in the other is a challenge.
Have fun!
Marty

went at end of May on Carnival Liberty, got onboard and proceeded to to go to cabin at 12pm. Got thru fire doors and to our cabin. Door was open, asked the steward if we could place carry-ons in cabin as she was still cleaning. She rolled her eyes and said yes after we showed our proof that it was our cabin. Left our bags, and when we came back, all was well. But I knew we interrupted her routine, and for that I won't go back until 1:30. I felt her aggravation. They are trying to do their jobs to their utmost, so lets all wait until assigned times to go to cabins.

I never drop off my small wheeled carry-on in my stateroom before they open the doors. It's no big deal wheeling it around and we also take turns going up to the buffet for food. The room stewards are working hard to get our rooms ready for us. I wonder if anyone has ever had a carry-on go missing when they stored it in the stateroom prior to stated times?

In the past I have sometimes been able to drop off my carry ons. I usually put them in the closet out of sight and out of the way.

Laura

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I would never leave my carryon in the cabin until I could close and lock the cabin door. While the room stewards are usually practical enough to realize that keeping their jobs is more lucrative than anything they might be able to steal, if I can get to the cabin, so can other passengers. So, why tempt fate? I do have rather critical med's in there and camera, jewelry...nothing terribly valuable, but enough so that I would hate to lose what I do have.
Marty

Take a cue from reading all these answers--pack light--- keep a small managable carry on with you until you can get into your cabin. If you're one of those who tries to take all their worldly possessions aboard with you, you will indeed have a problem working your way through a crowded buffet line or anywhere else til your cabin's open.
If you board and try to get to your cabin and the fire doors are shut then obviously it's not a good time to try to get into your cabin and you just may wish you had indeed packed lighter!

Just got back from the Splendor on Sunday. We got on board at 12:15 and went straight to our cabin (8447). Our steward was still working on all the rooms and had all the doors held open. I tipped him $5 and asked if we could leave our carry on bags. He said "no problem...just make sure to close your cabin door" We both were able to change into our pool attire in our cabin...beats changing in the bathroom on the lido deck.

I'm thinking seriously about a backpack too. They make them that are fairly good sized and have rollers so you can use them as a regular carry on or a backpack.
I think I'm going to look closely at one of those.
Happy rolling, backpacking, dragging , etc. to all.

Yes, a backpack on the Lido deck while waiting for the cabins to be "ready" is a geat idea, thanks!

Besides my small rolling carry-on bag with a handle for my clothes, I have a small backpack that I'm going to use to hold my netbook, purse, travel docs, meds, electronic stuff, etc. on air travel days. So I will just dump my carry-on with clothes in the cabin closet and make sure to close the cabin door. Then, I will have my backpack with everything I need or of value on my back, while I go back up to Lido deck for lunch. Then I also don't have to be in such a hurry to get back to the cabin at 1:30.

This way, all my valuables are still with me, on my back, and if someone wants my clothing that badly, well I can always buy more in Key West.

Why not check the bag with your clothes in it? At most, we might put a bathing suit in our carry-on, but the checked bags usually show up fairly quickly and even when they are a little late, the first night dress code is definitely casual.
I agree with the rolling backpack. That is what I use and it works great. I also have a feather weight nylon backpack that I use in ports. Just in case I see something I just have to buy. The rolling one is just too ackward in ports. I have to let go and put it aside if I want to take a photo or do anything. Too easy for local pickpockets to snatch and go. Plus, I keep my port bag in the nylon one. That is a plastic case with sunscreen, bug repellant towelettes, tiny roll of TP, hand wipes, and a cheap disposable poncho in it. I pack it at home (actually, it stays packed), then put in the nylon backpack which goes in my suitcase. I hate spending time and energy on the cruise trying to decide what goes with me into ports.
Marty

Why not check the bag with your clothes in it? At most, we might put a bathing suit in our carry-on, but the checked bags usually show up fairly quickly and even when they are a little late, the first night dress code is definitely casual.
I agree with the rolling backpack. That is what I use and it works great. I also have a feather weight nylon backpack that I use in ports. Just in case I see something I just have to buy. The rolling one is just too ackward in ports. I have to let go and put it aside if I want to take a photo or do anything. Too easy for local pickpockets to snatch and go. Plus, I keep my port bag in the nylon one. That is a plastic case with sunscreen, bug repellant towelettes, tiny roll of TP, hand wipes, and a cheap disposable poncho in it. I pack it at home (actually, it stays packed), then put in the nylon backpack which goes in my suitcase. I hate spending time and energy on the cruise trying to decide what goes with me into ports.
Marty

Hi marty,

As I said above, I like to travel light. I only use a carry-on and a backpack when I travel, whether it's for a weekend or a week. I'm in the Chicago area so there's usually flying involved.

I don't want to check luggage. Ever. Don't ask. Unless I'm forced to at the gate. So, clothing and things I can quickly & easily replace at a walmart go in the carry-on. Meds, travel tickets and other docs, netbook, paperback, trip journal and pens, pda, chargers, digicam, cell phone, all go in a litlte flat over the shoulder purse that then goes into my totebag, or directly in my totebag - which is then placed in my backpack.

The totebag (which is canvas and zippers at the top) goes into ports with me (or around the ship during the day) - containing sunblock, lip balm/block, towel, visor, etc. In ports I also wear a security waist pouch containing passport, cash, ids, S&S card, etc.

You really CAN travel with very little. It's amazing what you can do with one white or black pair of pants and shorts, 3-4 tops, one nice dress, and one pair of nice sandals (that work with pants/dress/shorts) besides the sneakers/walking shoes you travel in. Makes things very simple. Less to get stressed out about.

I wanted to add that the only exception is IF you are in a wedding party. These guests that are sailing are allowed to go to their cabins and change for the ceremony.

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Regardless of if being right or wrong a couple of cruises ago we went to our cat.11 cabin on Lido deck right after boarding. We went thru "open" doors (they were closed when we came back out...) to our cabin and dropped off carry-on with medicine/papers/etc. Put passports/money/etc in safe and locked it. Met our steward, donated $20 to the cause. We returned about 2ish and all was well. We were one of the first ones on with VIP embarkation (other than wedding groups) so I guess they had not shut the doors yet.

My mom's going to bring a full-size suitcase, as she lives north of Miami, while I am only flying with a carry-on and backpack. So, she will probably use a large shoulderbag or totebag to contain her purse, valueables, prescriptions, etc. and she should be ok whether we han gout on Lido or walk about the ship (most likely) before we can go to the cabin and unpack.

I will put my rolling carry-on under a cabin bed and if it gets taken, it will just have clothing in it. Nothing I can't replace in Key West. Then I can just wear my backpack with my netbook, travel docs, purse, and other critical items while we check out he ship!